My ordination classmates gather each year to renew our fraternity...
On September 19, 1965
68 young men entered
Cardinal O'Connell Seminary
in Jamaica Plan...
On May 19 1973
21 young men were ordained priests
at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross
in Boston...
On October 21, 2024
9 of those men (one brother's now too ill to join us)
gathered for prayer, conversation and dinner
at Saint Camillus in Arlington...
We are the priests of '73
and we prayed last night for all of our brothers:
those who've left us for other paths,
those whose paths have set them apart
and those whose journey has brought them home
to you and your mercy and peace, O Lord...
I wrote this prayer for the Year of the Priest in 2009. Today seems an opportune moment to offer it again...
A Prayer for Priests
Gracious God, loving Father,
font of every gift and good,
make of priests for us we pray:
men of faith, men of love,
humble servants of your Word,
prophets of your Spirit’s grace;
men of hope, men of peace,
strong defenders of the truth,
heralds of your holy gospel;
men of prayer, men of praise,
guardians of our sacred rites,
of the scriptures and tradition;
men of changelessness and change,
men who follow you each day,
when and where your Spirit leads;
men of tenderness and strength,
comfort for the sick and weary,
shepherds leading home the lost;
men of counsel, men of wisdom,
gentle guides for the confused,
lights along the darkened path;
men of mercy, patient men,
understanding and consoling
of the grieving and abused;
men of justice and compassion,
reconciling and forgiving,
men of healing in your name;
men of sacrifice and honor,
single minded in your service,
set apart to do your will;
men of holiness and joy,
men anointed by your grace,
men ordained to serve as Christ.
Make us one with them in faith
and in Christ your only Son
in whose holy name we pray.
Amen.
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